Dream of Butterfly
by SilverKiyoko
Summary: The end of the world occurred. Only a selected few must discover their Reason and make it a reality. They must survive in a new world where Pokemon runs society and demi-fiends roam the regions. Based on the Shin Megami Tensei Series.


~Chapter 1: A Fool's Beginning of the End~

"Kiyoko…Kiyo-chan…? Kiyoko, WAKE UP!"

The girl sat straight up, only to slam her head into the metallic base of the upper bunk. She clutched her head in pain, pressing her face against her feathery pillow for some comfort. Her brother just stared to see when she will realize that they are late. His little sister's body lay on the bed unmoving. Did she suffocate herself? The eldest brother rolled her on her back and found that she went back to sleep, her forehead flaring a bright scarlet from the minor injury. He did offer his bunk to her several times before, but being the kind of person who just deals with whatever she gets, she turned down the offer. But this sort of thing cannot continue everyday for the rest of the school year.

"Kiyoko, c'mon, we're gonna be late!" Haru urged, shaking his sister violently until her eyes opened slightly. She pressed the back of her hand against her forehead and pressed it even further once the headache reoccurred.

"Wha' time is i' ?" she murmured, inhaling sharply, rolling out of bed and onto the velvet blue carpeting.

Haru took part of her sheet that tangled around Kiyoko's body and unraveled her out of its clutches, neatly folding the sheet and tossing it back onto the messy bed.

"The time is: we're late!"

Kiyoko shot straight up again, without the threat of getting another concussion, and raced to the bathroom to begin her school morning rituals. Of course, Haru assisted her whenever she requested a certain thing to be brought to her such as the curling iron, body spray, and lip gloss along with other feminine toiletries.

The siblings raced out of their apartment down the freshly snowed roads towards their school: Akumara High School. Not only is it a high school, it also doubles as a community college, which is why the building stretches ten blocks on either end. An unusual size for a community college, but many of the faculty claims that it almost increases the experience of the students as if it had been a rural college or even a university. Kiyoko personally thought that claim was highly exaggeration, but if it was as good as they say, she had no right to spread negativity about it.

As Haru and Kiyoko raced down the hilly road and pass the intersection, they faintly heard Belle's voice following them far behind. Cheren was with her as well. Kiyoko smiled and waved a greeting to both of them, but Haru ran even faster with Cheren joining him in the attempt to slip away from Belle. To the boys, Belle would be the equivalent of having an anchor tied to their legs and they absolutely cannot afford to be late. Kiyoko, though, was stuck along side Belle.

"Hey hun, so what kind of gift are you giving him? It'll be so romantic, he always receives a gift with such grace" Belle swooned and sharply squeals at the thought. Though Kiyoko already know how much of a sap Belle is when it comes to romance, the gift part sort of puzzled her.

"What? You forgot already? This day, this special occasion that you promised that you'll never ever forget…"

Kiyoko's eyes soon widen in realization. It was _his_ birthday. Belle immediately paused and grabbed the hapless girl by the arm, scanning the vacant street for any open shop.

"I know this really spectacular shop located not too far here, a-ha! There it is!" Belle pointed out. She dashed into the store in a flash with Kiyoko suffering from Belle's tight grip on her forearm and in no time, the two friends found themselves among heavily-fragranced flowers, perfume and a lot of shades of pink. Kiyoko certainly haven't seen this shop before. Obviously, this is like Belle's domain, a place where she has to be every single day, but what girl wouldn't want to stay in a fantasy world such as this?

While Belle was locked in conversation with the store owner, Kiyoko browse through the shelves and glass cabinets. There were an assortment of chocolates from different countries, perfume and cologne made from the top celebrities, several glass figurines and high-quality jewelry encase in the glass display – all of them seem very priceless and expensive. What was Belle thinking when she brought her here?

"So what would you like, hun?"

"Uh, well, I don't think I have the allowance to pay for any of these things. Sorry."

"Nonsense" the owner said. She looks fairly young to be a shop owner in this part of the city. She had short murky violet hair, turquoise eyes and wore clothes that revealed some skin on her. She also wore a hat that had animal ears stitched on it and a belt that had a furry tail attached to it. Is she some kind of cosplayer1 or something? "All of these finely crafted and rare items can be yours for meager prices. Have you not heard of 'a market of black'?"

"Market of Black? Black market? This is a black market? Belle, are you insane?" Kiyoko bellowed, anxious to grab the blond by the neck and wring the craziness out of her.

"Shh, calm down Kiyo-chan" Belle laughed. "The owner is my mother's closest friend so -"

"Well that certainly says a lot about your mother" the teen interrupted, her anger showing no sign of dissolving.

"ANYWAYS -" Belle continued. "Ms. Miranda isn't going to swindle you. Besides, this isn't the illegal kind of black market, but if you don't believe me, then I'll pay for the present. Now c'mon, we're gonna be late!"

"Strange coming from you" Kiyoko mumbled under her breath. Reluctantly, she scans through the glass for anything decent. Then, she spotted a perfect gift for her admirer: a silver pendant, stubbed with blue topazes, the birthstone of December. However, her eye also caught something else of interest. She never seen anyone use anything like it before, but she has been interested in tarot cards for a while and right in front of her eyes was a complete deck. Kiyoko shook her gaze away. Today is _his_ day and she can't afford to be selfish. She bought the pendant and the two friends hurried out the store. Perhaps she can stop by later to get the cards…alone.

* * *

"Miss Makeda, out shopping I see" the homeroom teacher sneered, eyeing the small magenta bag that the teen held close to her.

Kiyoko ignored her comment and proceeded to her seat, but not without the usual nuisances.

"That's the third time this month, Makeda" Pearl informed her as the homeroom teacher went on with the lesson. "I hereby sentence you to detention."

Kiyoko chuckled to herself, careful not to alert the barbaric Prima Dona of a teacher. She took the velvet, white box out of its bag and tucked it inside a concealed compartment, away from Pearl's and anyone else's view. "Please Pearl, not now. It's not right to abuse your role as Class president."

"I'm just doing the acceptable thing. Anyways, is that for Silver-senpai?" Pearl's mouth twisted into a grin at Kiyoko's blushing face.

Kiyoko absently fold up the magenta bag and fits it inside her folder. She finally nodded. "I'm gonna sneak into the college courtyard and give this to him during lunch."

"You know that's against the rules, right?" Pearl exasperated, giving her what he hoped to be the final warning before she gets deeper into trouble.

"Pearl, I barely see him after school. This may be my only chance -"

"Stop talking while I'm dictating, Makeda! Your punishment is two days of detention" Ms. Le Fevre issued, resuming her boring French class as quickly as she passed judgment to the irritated teen.

"Fine Makeda, I'll overlook your future offense as long as the professors don't catch you" Pearl gave in.

* * *

The courtyard was tranquil except for the howling wintry wind. She had to lie to the teacher about using the restroom urgently and asked Pearl to carry her book bag to the cafeteria if she doesn't return in time. But all of her efforts may seem in vain. The college students, scarcely dispersed around the yard, were not him. He never showed up at his usual place under the usual cherry blossom tree. Kiyoko attentively watch the surviving cherry blossom on the tree. She felt her dreams clinging to life like that single blossom clinging to the tree for support. Their bright pink color was fading into a light gray and the loose petals were easily whisked away by the frigid wind.

He was observing her from his room, his gaze never wavering from her even when his roommate was nagging him to pay attention to his project. The girl meant something to him, meant even more to him now as the day of dissolution approaches. Not just to him, but the people he cared about, all of the retired Dex Holders need her.

"Silver, hello? Are you even listening to me?"

_The world must die in order to be born again…Kiyoko-chan…_

His heart began to sink once his best friend of twelve years treaded back to her side of the school. She peered back once more to see if he would come, but quickly gave up the hope and continued inside. In the past, she had declined the role of Dex Holder. She much rather support them far from the danger than to "interfere with their battling" as she puts it. She never had a pokemon before, only took care of them when their trainers deposit them in the professors' PC box.

_I want you to become stronger…I want you to fight alongside me and help me change the world…_

He was glad Platinum gave her a Pokemon egg her Empoleon have recently gave birth to - it was a start. Once tomorrow starts rolling in and dawn is upon the Earth, everything will change…

Kiyoko was relieved to get out of the snow. Though she failed to give Silver his present, the warmth from within the building was too cozy to feel depressed after one mishap.

"Hey Kiyoko, so how was it?" Haru eagerly asked. The group – the Hoenn, Sinnoh and Isshu Dex Holders and Michael – were in the middle of a conversation before they turned their attention to her. It strikes the teen as mildly suspicious, but then again, they're just trying to be the good friends that they are.

"He wasn't there" Kiyoko said bluntly. "So what are guys talking about?"

Everyone eyed the red-head clown with the blue headband holding up his hair. "Tomorrow" Michael whispered ominously.

"Michael, it is pure superstition. No one believes in that nonsense" Platinum scoffed.

"You'd be surprised, miss, of how superstitious people really are. Look, there's even scientific evidence for this kind of stuff" Michael countered back, pulling out a semi-wet newspaper from his bag. "I found it in the snow, but it's still legible. Hey, take a look, Kiyo."

Michael shoved the newspaper into Kiyoko's hands. It was front page news dating back to the past Sunday. There was a photo of the PokeMayan calendar and next to it was a long article in a small font. The title wasn't anything creative, only "DECEMBER 24, 2010". That was all they need to instill fear to the population. That date is tomorrow.

"Michael, this is foolishness" Kiyoko concluded and tossed back the ink-fading paper to him.

"Then it is unanimous, coming from our number one scientist" Dia gave praise to Kiyoko, but Michael would not give up.

"Fine, but what if I told you, princess, that Silver also believes in what you call 'crap'."

Kiyoko and Haru couldn't help but laugh, though everyone else weren't. "Michael, I *snickers*you're _actually_ sinking this low to convince me of this superstition. I must say, I admire your efforts."

Michael smirked, folding his arms in front of him. "Fine, you don't have to believe me. The choice is yours, princess" he sing-sang.

The rest of the day went by smoothly, though Kiyoko haven't forgotten the immediate punishment she earned earlier this morning. After class, she had to stay in the faculty office to serve her time in detention. Ms. Le Fevre didn't want to stick around to baby-sit her, so she requested a substitute to do the monitoring.

"Hello there, Kiyo-san."

The teen's face nearly beamed when she saw Mr. Hidenori walk into the office and sat at the desk across from the student. He is known all over school as **the** best teacher. While he is the calculus AB and BC teacher in the high school, he also serves as the Japanese Literature teacher in the campus. Silver has him on Sunday mornings, Monday mornings and Thursday evenings. For the entire time of detention, what Kiyoko thought could have been a boring punishment turned out to be quite nice. Hidenori-sensei knows her well since she get high grades in his class and pities her for being in a predicament such as this.

"Oh, I almost forgot" Hidenori-sensei spoke up. He pulled out a small envelope from his pocket and handed it to the girl. The handwriting was elegantly familiar as it said "To Makeda-chan" in beautifully written English cursive. It was from Silver. Kiyoko carefully opened the sealed envelope and took out a card embroidered with a golden border around the message.

"To Kiyoko-chan,

I hope you haven't forgotten that today is my birthday. I apologize for not being at my usual spot that I wish to make it up to you by spending the evening with you. Meet me at the roof by midnight and come alone.

Love,

Silver

Kiyoko's smile widened with each word she read. Hidenori tried to catch a quick glance at the message, but Kiyoko had already neatly tucked it back into the envelope and the envelope in her bag. But what had irked her was what he said at the end. Come to the roof by midnight? That's easy for him to say. How can the teen sneak into the building so late at night without getting caught, much less stay up until then? Kiyoko could always walk around the city, visit some of the shops…or stay after school with the others until then. There were a few activities that last until 11:00 and the girl didn't mind waiting another hour. Kiyoko smiled at the idea. Then…it is settled.

* * *

~After School~

"Y'know, you can help by ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK!" Haru scolded.

His little sister has decided to help out in the production of the school play, but Kiyoko rather much act in the play than to help set up the props.

"I will. Just call me when you're done setting everything up" Kiyoko answered from the back of the auditorium.

She decided to wander around the auditorium a bit and warm up her little Piplup egg. Platinum had told her that it was bred to learn a new attack that a normal Piplup, Prinplup or Empoleon couldn't learn before. The crew didn't need help with setting up for practice. While the guys rehearsed together, the girls stuck by Kiyoko and helped feed their warm to the egg. The shell was cracking slightly.

"I can't believe it'll hatch soon" Sapphire said, excited for the soon-to-be mother of the Piplup. "When it does, I want to be the first to battle it."

"Don't be silly, Sapph" White said. "The poor baby wouldn't stand a chance against your pokemon."

"Then, are you volunteering yourself?"

"N-no, but maybe we can ask Yellow to battle it" White suggested. "Not to be disrespectful to my senpai, but she kinda is low-leveled compared to the rest of us."

"Yeah, you're right" Sapphire quickly admitted.

"Uh, hello? Aren't you girls gonna practice?" Haru barged in, fully utilizing his authoritative tone once again.

The girls gave up arguing with him. For the rest of the time until 10: 30 p.m, the entire club rehearsed and re-rehearsed their lines. They also had an empty spot for Kiyoko to join in. She didn't do so well at the beginning, her voice lacked emotions and she was required to perform more gestures, but she improved faster than the others. It was another day well spent. Afterwards, the crew had to pack up the props and clean the floors from any loose stuffing from dolls and puppets. Kiyoko, like before, had to stay with the egg like a proper mother. While the club members exited the auditorium, Kiyoko hurried beside her elder brother.

"Haru, can you bring the egg home with you? I have something else to do tonight" Kiyoko requested.

"Like what?" Haru urgently pressed.

"Calm down, I'm just seeing Silver, that's all."

Haru gave his love-stricken sister a look. "Silver? Tonight? Damn, he's fast."

"H-haru, he isn't like that" the girl defended, knowing what was going through her brother's dirty mind. "Unlike you, he is a gentleman."

Haru grumbled and took the capsule filled with water and the egg. He had given her shreds of his wisdom concerning other guys and what they demanded from girls lately. But the more Kiyoko ponders on that thought; as a result, perhaps she did want it with him. Kiyoko scanned the lobby for the elevator and anxiously pressed the upward button. The electronic mapping above the door revealed that it was coming from the roof. Silver must already be there and is now waiting patiently for her. She entered the newly renovated elevator. She reached out for the button that will direct her to the roof, but her hand quickly withdrew. Once she gets there, once she laid her eyes on him, the butterflies in her stomach will wreak havoc within her. It will be the same as any of their previous encounters except the end may result in losing her innocence to him. Kiyoko filled her lungs with air, held it for a moment and release. He would understand if she's not ready.

Kiyoko mustered up what courage she had left and pressed the button for the roof. The elevator closed securely and transports the girl to her destination. The slight change in gravity within the elevator and light-headedness that occurred brought more discomfort to her. She just wanted to turn back and tell Silver tomorrow that she couldn't make it. But she shook her head violently. No, she couldn't lie to him. This is an once-in-a-lifetime moment for her. She can't afford to ruin it and the trust between them.

The elevator finally opens up, the moonlight shined brightly upon Kiyoko. The teen walked carefully towards the metal railing surrounding the roof while avoiding the accident of slipping on black ice. The moon was brightly pale and full tonight, a happening that only occurs once every month. Silver loved the simple design of the moon. It means a lot to him. He had told her that every event that resulted in happiness in his past, the moon was full on those nights. It was interest how nature works in his favor, despite all he has been through. He never allowed his desire for revenge to consume him. With Kiyoko's help and the other Dex Holders, he had the ability to end the reign of terrorists and protect the people he cared about.

"Silver…" the low utterance slipped from her tongue.

"You called?"

One hand leaned close to her own against the metal railing and another hand slipped around her waist, pulling her closer to the person who she have been waiting for. Silver leaned in and kissed her cheek, then nuzzled against her neck.

"How has the night been for you?" Silver asked, his lips grazing against Kiyoko's neck, his breath giving warmth to his love in the winter. Kiyoko giggled as his long, scarlet hair brushed and tickled her face.

"It's alright, I guess" Kiyoko replied. "I was in the auditorium helping out with the school play and guess what, my egg is gonna hatch soon."

"Really? I'm happy for you, Kiyo-chan" Silver congratulated her, enveloping her in a huge embrace. "The baby will be born – _our_ baby will be born."

"Uh, our baby?" Kiyoko wondered shakily.

"Of course, who did you think helped breed that egg?" Silver flash a charming smile.

Kiyoko was void of words as Silver brought her face close to his with his single hand cupping her chin and planted his rare kiss on her lips. A faint blush appeared on her face, but her heated moment quickly died down from the wintry rage of the wind.

"Gyarados, do me a favor and melt the snow and ice with your Fire Blast."

The scarlet-haired teen tossed his pokeball in the air, unleashing his rare altered-colored Gyarados. With ferocity, the dragon fired its attack at the roof. Kiyoko had braced herself from the raging flames, but they never touched her. The kanji of fire snaked around the human teenagers while effectively ridding them of the hazardous ice. Gyarados returned to its according pokeball. The girl stared in awe at how effortlessly the raw power was controlled. Nothing was singe at all.

"That was so cool, Silver-chan!"

Silver smiled at Kiyoko's genuine praise. "I hope someday, you'll become strong as well, Kiyoko-chan."

Kiyoko smiled back sheepishly, turning her attention to the full moon hovering right above the city. Silver snaked his arms right underneath the young girl's breasts, pulling her close to his body and providing her warmth. Kiyoko was very warm indeed. His touch, radiating an aura of strength, being so close to the uncharted territories of her body has allowed a surge of heat to flicker wildly inside of her and her heart pounding with no end in sight.

"Someday…I'll be strong…for you" Kiyoko wanted to say, but no words came out of her mouth. She tried clearing her throat, but it instead started to hurt and grew unusually warmer. Her head throbbed relentlessly and her vision blurred soon after, causing her to lose coordination.

"Hey, are you alright, Kiyoko?" Silver worried, placing his hand on Kiyoko's forehead.

Kiyoko groaned in discomfort, dizzily drifting to Silver and held on to his clothes for support.

"It must be a fever" she heard Silver muttering to himself. "Kiyoko, I'll carry you home, okay? Kiyoko? Kiyo…" His voice was diminishing in her ears. Her grip was weakening and she fainted in his arms.

"My, my, what an unexpected incident" a nearly monotone voice said, but Silver can sense a hint of laughter in his words.

"Grr, how long have you been here, Green?"

"Master had sent me to keep a close eye on the two of you. Now look what you have done" Green gestured his hand towards the feverish girl lying limp in the red-head's arm. "If you had a bit more sense in you, you would have seen the risk of her staying out in the cold for too long. Kiyoko isn't used to it like you are.

"If you'd like, I will allow her to rest in your dorm until she recovers – that is, if I can trust nothing will happen to her under your care."

Silver glared at the brunette, but only walk past him towards the elevator, using all of his willpower to keep him from tearing the smug senior apart.

"Oh, and I must remind you. The promised event will happen at 4:00am. Please get ready a few hours ahead of time."

"I'm not some child that you can pester, Green. I am capable of behaving myself, even when the moon is full."

Green gave a wicked smirk. "We'll see about that."

* * *

Kiyoko was stirring in her sleep, her eyes fluttered open and stared into the darkness. She detected that her surroundings were totally unfamiliar to her. Where was she? There was a light shower running in a bathroom close by. It must be Silver who had brought her here after she fainted from her fever. Even now, she still feels feverish. Kiyoko rested her head on her palm. It aches severely that she couldn't think straight. Absently, she glanced over at the digital clock glowing with red numerals. It read 2: 39 pm. School begins at 7:00, but even though it's less than five hours from now, the college students may have classes earlier than her. If she were to get caught in Silver's room…

Tossing the covers aside, she found herself not in her usual school uniform, but a silk, royal nightgown that, when she stood up, only reached mid-thigh. Her face heated at the thought of Silver sleeping with her while she was wearing such a skimpy outfit. If they were sharing the same bed during those two hours, was it also possible that they might have…?

Kiyoko immediately pushed that thought aside. She slipped on her blouse and skirt over the borrowed gown. She nearly fell over while putting on her boots. Her fever was causing her to lose control. Through her misted vision, she noticed the white box poking out of her open bag. She had forgotten to give it to Silver while they were on the roof. Taking out a sheet of loose-leaf and a pen, Kiyoko scribbled a small note:

Silver,

I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye, but I don't want you to get in trouble because of me. I'll see you again later after school, okay? Oh, and with this note, I left you your birthday present. I hope you like it.

Sincerely,

Kiyoko Makeda

"You'll understand…right, Silver?" She folded the note into a neat square and placed the box right on top of it. Afterwards, she silently exited the room.

This is the first time the girl ever set foot inside the college dorms. It was by the regulations that no Akumara High students should enter the campus grounds. Kiyoko had broken the rules a few times by sneaking into the courtyard. But this is a much different experience for her. The hall was too dark for her eyes to adjust. She would have to sidle on the wall until she finds an exit. Some of the doors down the hall shone some light to guide Kiyoko, but it also meant that the residents inside were wide awake. As she approaches one door, she overheard a bunch of girls talking and laughing.

"It would be bliss to create a new world to our liking."

"Hey, hey, you _do_ realize that we have no say in how the world will be governed?"

"Of course I do. I have complete faith in our master."

These voices, to Kiyoko's ears, sounded like Sapphire and Platina. Like Kiyoko, they too are from Akumara High and should not be allowed here.

"And it's all going to happen at dawn." Kiyoko also recognized Yellow's perky voice. It was completely out of character for Yellow to break the rules like this. What's going on here?

"Good morning, my lovelies!" Oh, it's Blue. She must have persuaded Yellow to get involved in this. But what is all this talk about 'crating a new world'?

"Finally! Geez, why do you take so long in the shower, Blue?" That was White's voice. Is Belle a part of this too?

Kiyoko decided not to waste time eavesdropping on the girls and continued creeping along the walls. She was almost there; she can see a staircase leading down to the foyer. In the room close to the stairs, though, she heard other people talking that caught her attention once more.

"Gold, you idiot! Look what you have done to my outfit." That was Ruby scolding Gold for ruining one of his pride and joys. So the guys are also smuggling lower classmen where they don't belong.

Kiyoko, not bothering to stick around, edged closer to the top of the stairs. She took one careful step down, but the sudden creaking sound caused her to jerk back.

"C'mon, work with me here!" she whispered anxiously to herself.

The railings appeared vey smooth as if it had been polish regularly. Kiyoko gave a solid, but quiet knock at the mahogany wood.

"It seems sturdy enough" she observed.

Mounting herself on the railing and gripping her bag tightly, she sailed down the spiral railing, past another floor and landed in the foyer. She glided towards the double door and pulled them by their golden handles. But it was locked tightly.

"You have got to be kidding me" she muttered.

Scanning around the room for another detour, another way out, a large painting hanging above the sofa caught her eye. She squint her eyes at the painting and went closer to get a better look. It was the same picture that was in the newspaper: the PokeMayan calendar.

"Oh my gosh, Michael was actually right." Only, the truth is, all of them believed in it. Of course it could only be a subject of interest.

As she approached the huge painting for a more accurate inspection, her boots sank into something and a creature yelped in pain. Kiyoko fell back and her eyes caught something snake-like slithering under the dark table. Then, a door was swung open upstairs.

"Did you hear that? There was a scream coming from downstairs." It was Red's voice.

Footsteps raced down the flight of stairs. Kiyoko, without thinking, pulled the snake thing from under the table and hid behind the murky staircase.

"A-abra?"

The creature was actually an Abra. Its tail limped over the girl's thigh; tiny flecks of blood pricked its delicate skin.

"Oh crap, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" Kiyoko worried.

The footsteps stopped right above her. Red inhaled deeply the scent he detected.

"There's blood nearby" he licked his lips. "Hunt them down, Pika!"

The electric mouse sniffed down the steps, around the welcome mat at the entrance and then around the sofa and the coffee table.

"Shoot, that thing's gonna find us" the girl panicked.

"Come out, come out wherever you are, you slut!" Red chuckled with a gruff voice that wasn't normally his.

Abra was trembling along with Kiyoko. The mouse turned in their direction, detecting a much stronger scent.

"Piiiiii!" Pikachu growled, sparks on its cheeks flaring fiercely.

"Heh, nice job, Pika." Red's voice grew deadly.

Abra's shaking became more violent. Instantly, its body lit up in a multi-colored light, consuming both bodies and they vanished from the darkness. In an instant, the two fell from midair and into a pile of snow near a streetlight.

"Ah, ah, cold, it's cold!" she yelped. Abra then used its psychic powers to lift the both of them out of the freezing pile and brushed away any traces of snow on their bodies. It must have been Teleport that provided their only escape from an unthinkable fate. Kiyoko exhaled rigidly and smiled at the pokemon that saved her.

"Hey, thanks Abra."

Her eyes widened at an unexpected discovery. In the streetlight, it was clear to the girl that the Abra was a rare kind with a body plate that has a hot pink color rather than the usual golden brown hue. A bubble formed around its nose as it deflates and inflates itself in rhythm with Abra's breathing. Kiyoko scooped the pokemon up in her arms.

"Again, I'm sorry about your tail. I can probably bandage it up at home" she cradles the sleepy pokemon. Abra let out a restless yawn and nodded.

But the steep road ahead of her was enough to discourage Kiyoko from returning home. Normally, it would be out of laziness, but after the ordeal she faced, plus the lack of sleep, she was too exhausted to continue any further.

"Oh come now" a voice said out of nowhere. It sounded as if it was echoing in her mind, but Abra heard it as well. "You can do better than that."

At the height of the paved bluff was a blond child wearing a plain formal suit. The gesture of his hand was signaling the girl to follow him. Letting her curiosity get the best of her, she followed. However, the kid disappeared after trudging up the unforgiving mount.

"Where the hell did he go?"

"Abra?"

The shiny Abra glanced over to the dark shop beside them. The blond child was standing at the back of the store, flashing a mischievous grin and fading into the wall behind him. Kiyoko ran after him. "W-wait!" she called out, but she was far too late. "Ugh, kids these days" she scoffed. But children do _not_ disappear into walls like ghosts. Abra psychokinetically hovered over to the shelf without the teen's knowledge and took a frosted figurine in its slender hands.

"Be careful with that!" She scolded when she heard the sound of glass bumping into each other ever so slightly.

She paused suddenly. _Figurines?_

She then sniffed the aroma of the shop. _And that strong flowery scent?_

This was the black market shop she was tricked into going by Belle, though the atmosphere was more…sinister. The pink carnation-colored walls were now a deep magenta with silver and black stitches and cracks evenly spread along it. There were also thorns sprouting from the dark corners of the shop. Kiyoko purposely wandered towards the glass display, where the tarot cards she coveted was kept. She leaned closer to the glass to get a sense whether the cards were real or not. Then, the quirky shop owner suddenly popped out from behind the desk. The flustered teen fell backwards, knocking her head on the nearby shelf. It nearly caused a domino effect with the shelves, but Abra's Confusion attack stopped them from toppling over and placed them back in order.

"Phew, that was a close one" Ms. Miranda breathed a sigh of relief, but immediately directed her piercing gaze at the high schooler. "What d'ya think you're doing here, kid? You almost put me outta business, ya wretched brat!"

"C-calm down, miss" Kiyoko said as politely as she can. "It's me, Belle's friend from this morning?"

"Huh?" Ms. Miranda adjusted her crooked glasses. "Well, well, if it isn't the girl who hates illegal business" she sneered, holding the rim of her circular lens. "So what's your business here?"

"Uh, well, I was gonna purchase something else this morning, but, uh-"

"Oh, I see. You were too damn proud to do business with the dark side of commerce and now that no one's looking, your true colors are revealed" the store clerk quickly concluded, chuckling at her brilliant deduction. "So, what would you like?"

Kiyoko distanced herself a bit, smiling nervously. "Um, I'd like to purchase the deck of tarot cards right there" she timidly pointed at her desired merchandise.

Ms. Miranda chuckled once more. "What a naughty girl you are, tampering with mysterious forces your tiny mind cannot comprehend."

"Oh, and I suppose you know how to use tarots?" Kiyoko defended herself.

The clerk turned her bare back to her customer, reaching for her treasured deck from a fairly high shelf and placing it on the counter between her and Kiyoko. "Of course I know how to use them. It has been passed down in my family for generations."

Ms. Miranda drew five cards from the top of the deck and arranged them in front of Kiyoko.

"Would you like to have your spiritual reading?" she offered, the lens glowed ominously with the reflected moon rays. Kiyoko was slightly taken back by the offer, but responded with a nod. Abra teleported into the girl's bag, zipping it open for some air while it snoozes away. Miranda flipped the facedown tarot on the far left. The teen gasped sharply. It was the Death Arcana. She had only done research on the Major Arcana, but not as far as thirteen. Does it mean that…she will die?

"How interesting, the Death Arcana. Something drastic must have happened in your past, right?"

"Uh, m-my past?" the girl stammered.

"The Death Arcana symbolizes great change, not necessarily death, but something that caused a metamorphosis in your values and personality. So, are you gonna tell me?"

Kiyoko distanced herself from the counter a bit more. "Why should I tell you?" she growled, reluctant to give her any kind of information.

Ms. Miranda glowered at the girl. "I need a better understanding of your life in order for me to effectively decipher what the cards mean. There's no need to be so difficult."

Kiyoko became aware of her irrational behavior and fell silent, avoiding eye contact with the prying woman.

"I take it that your past wasn't at all a good memory? Then, that is all the info I need. It may get painful from here on, so I'm giving you a choice to back down."

Kiyoko shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. I can take it."

Miranda raised her eyebrow and smirked. "As you wish." A sinister energy diffused out of Miranda's body and shadow and blanketed the girl with a dark veil. Abra scurried out of the bag almost scratched by the zipper teeth, cowering from the energy that was powerful against its own element. Not that Kiyoko have any realization of her surroundings. To her, all she was aware of were the tarots and her fortune teller. She was in a trance, vulnerable and easy to deal with.

"Just 30 minutes left" Miranda monitored the grandfather clock in the other room. "Now, shall we continue?"

Miranda flipped over the following card. It was the Fool Arcana, but the picture has a glowing red 'X' flickering over it. "You are unable to move on. Whatever your past may be, you find it very difficult to see the world in a new light. You can't seem to trust anyone anymore. How mysterious."

"My life isn't some kind of specimen for you to criticize" Kiyoko argued lifelessly, her head hanging low from the depressing darkness around her.

The clerk ignored her and continued with the reading. The third card, the middle card, was revealed to be the Major Arcana of Judgement. A soft smile appeared on her face. "But there seems to be hope for you. Somewhere in your heart, you are committed to cleanse yourself of your struggles and reverse your present miseries."

Kiyoko mustered the motivation to look up and force a smile, but she was still uneasy. "That sounds nice, but what about the other two cards? I don't really understand this layout."

"This is called the Five Card Spread" Miranda went on to explain. "These are what the cards symbolize from your left to the right: past, present, future and the two factors that may stop you from your future."

She flips the final two cards: the Lovers and the Moon Arcanas. The symbols over the cards frightened the girl, though she didn't show it. The Lovers had an 'X' over it like the Fool, but the Moon was upside down and its borders were glowing red. It can't be anything good, she thought.

"According to the cards, there is something that will prevent you from uniting with the things that make you whole, perhaps a lover you cherished."

Kiyoko clenched her teeth. I…can't be with Silver, she thought, her gaze locked at the troublesome cards.

"And the Moon…, Damn it! Fate is certainly merciless towards you" Miranda swore with pity. "I'm not sure if this is related to the Lovers or not, but there are people preying after you. They seek to use you in whatever way they could: success, money, and power, maybe even for…gratification of the flesh."

Being used by another…it was an experience she knew all too well. It was because of those wretched people who took advantage of her in the past that her Fool Arcana was crossed at all. Kiyoko became more aware of the nature of people, how they drool over the fame and power of others and would go so far as to kill in order to obtain it. It had been a difficult time for her and Haru. And the sexual encounters, they were much more unbearable than witnessing the true nature of the human heart. It was like diving into the mind of an inhabitant of Hell.

The final cards glowed in resonance with the previous Arcana. Outside the veil, Abra continued blasting its psychic powers at the thin barrier; the barrier showed no signs of weakening. The psi pokemon shivered after every attempt of releasing its human friend from the dark veil due to a powerful energy emitted from the strange lights outside. Abra curiously checked outside for the source of the light. Descending into the sky, parting the clouds was an orb with celestial streams of space and time circling around it. Abra was astounded by the unusual object floating in the sky until a bolt of lightning struck a nearby building, causing the pokemon to bolt upwards and into the ceiling. The veil finally lifted from the store clerk and Kiyoko. Another bolt of lightning plunged into the Earth, which startled the spell-inflicted teen completely from any prolonged daze from the veil.

"Wha, what's going on?" Kiyoko demanded.

"The world must die in order for it to be born again" Miranda ominously recited.

Another wave of godly bolts rained down to the surface. One struck the Black Market, engulfing the area with a blinding light. The sheer force of the blow penetrated through Kiyoko's body. She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry out for help. She was going to die, but the tingling electricity lingering all over kept her alert. There was no blood spilling from her body. The lightning must have fried her from the inside, she thought. Yet, she wasn't dying. The blast slowly diminished, leaving the girl on the ground with no will to move, no reality to return to.

_And so it begins…_

The onslaught of raining lightning was over as quickly as it began, leaving the Earth not a barren wasteland, but a new world where pokemon thrived and the human race was on the verge of extinction. Only the scarce number of survivors can determine the future of their once-beloved world.

* * *

I"M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! But with a new story. Lately, I have been focusing on Persona 3 and the other Shin Megami Tensei games. I found them to be very interesting. I manage to beat P3 yesterday (my birthday ^-^) and starting a new game plus. Anyways, I started on this story a while ago, writing a draft and revising it. I hope of all you like it. I already have an idea for the next chapter, so please comment!


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